Solitary Confinement
by lynn11
Summary: *Chapter 9 is UP!!!* Syd and Vaughn choose if they really want to be together or not!!!!!!!!!(gasp!!)READ and REVIEW!!! Enjoy!!! Thanks!!!
1. alone

I open my eyes. The cold jarring light of blackness pangs my sight. Where am I? Where is he? What just happened? I remember bits and pieces. I close my heavy eyes again and think. I rack my brain for anything that I can arrange together like a jigsaw puzzle. Like a strike of lightening, I remember. Immediately, my heart aches and my leg stings where the bullet pierced my skin. Why? Small tears of pain and regret fall from my beaten eyes. I try to bring myself up from the damp floor.  I strain to see through the thickness of nothing.  In the far corner, I can see a faint light. I begin to walk ever so cautiously towards it on one leg, the other following like a trained dog. It turns out to be a very small window in the middle of a door. I fumble my hands around the hard surface and find the knob. I pull with all my might. Twisting, turning, jumping up and down. I try, and try. I can't. I will never be able to. I pound on the door just to relieve my frustrations and hurt. I slide alongside the door, down to the cement ground. Unable to do nothing, but stare at the far corner, which I can know see clearly. It's not that far from where I am and holds a single solitary chair. Seeing the chair, I think of myself. Single. Solitary. Alone. Betrayed. Abandoned. I can't stop the tears. They keep coming and coming. I can't stop the pictures reeling around in my head like a cruel slide-show at a reunion. I scream at myself to stop thinking, stop being, stop breathing. I cry my shrunken, beaten- down self to sleep.

            Even in my dreams, or should I call them nightmares, I can't escape my thoughts and memories.  My mind wanders back to five hours ago. I never knew five hours could feel like an eternity, but they can. I know now that they can. So much can happen.  I wish I never knew this life. Never knew these lies and secrets that hide in everything. Never knew him.

            When my head hit my shoulders, I went back merely hours ago. I stared at images imbedded into the back of my eyelids. I'm running away from them, the people who killed my life, my truth. I don't know where I'm going. The shock on my face that appeared only minutes ago was still there. I could still see him there. Helpless. Alone. As soon as I opened the door, I saw him. I saw the blood seeping onto the floor searching for something it couldn't reach. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. I bent down over him and he saw me. I didn't hide from him. I didn't lie. No secrets, a rare freedom that was not worth it. 

 "Syd," he barely made a sound, "go. Leave here. Don't look back. I don't matter. You do. Go." 

 "No, I can't. Vaughn, don't think like that. You do matter. You matter to me." At that I lost all control I have had over my emotions. I couldn't talk anymore. The only sounds that I allowed out of my mouth were gasps into streams of tears rolling down over my face.

 "I love you," he breathed so heavily, I cried harder than I thought I was capable of.

Without warning, we heard footsteps approaching. I looked at him longingly. I captured his essence and swore to myself I will never forget his face.

 "I love you, too," I whispered into his ear, using every muscle to create a smile to put him at ease. He pushed me away and continued in his efforts to get me to leave him alone. I couldn't just leave him, abandon him like that. He told me to go, save myself. The next thing I know I'm running through desolate halls of the echoing museum with a vase that seems useless compared to what's racing through my mind. His face stayed in my mind, and all I seemed to be doing is running. I never stop, never quit, never give up.  I kept on running, out through the doors to the fresh air. I didn't see anything, didn't hear anything. I had lost all senses, all capabilities, all emotions.  I became cold and distant from the world. I ran for him. I was a machine that kept going on order, no impulse, no soul. I feel the tears flowing and spinning out of control as I run. The picture of me running became fuzzy and his face just stood there in front of me.

  "Vaughn!!"

I awoke in a startle. My face was stiff from the gravity pulling at my emotions. I fumble with the hem of my black skirt. It acts as a broom wiping away the dirt, the dust, and the empty tears I had created in my solitude. I dared myself to move. Carefully, I wrote like a child on the beach.-V-a-u-g-h-n-. A single tear drops in the middle of the-V-. I move my skirt one more time, to erase the dust and the hurt. 


	2. Abandoned

*I know the first chapter is a little confusing!!!! Sorry!! Please review, thanks!! Hope this chapter clears up some questions in your head!!

Chapter 2-Abandoned

I can still see the –g- in his name. I can still see that face, that face that lit up my dark and shadowy life. I cried at the thought of what SD-6 might be doing to him at this very moment, probably in the very next room. I had done this to him. I left him there. I was the one that abandoned him in that solitary room. At this thought I went insane. I started ripping the hem of my dress and drug my weary, lifeless body to the four walls, one by one. At various sections, I held up my ear to hear any signs of pain or movement. Nothing was to be heard, except for the constant deafening sound of silence. I had to break free from that torture of silence. I screamed just to know that I was alive, to know that he wasn't. To know how we felt, how the lies and secrets of my life came out too late to matter.

            I finally heard movement outside of my small, gloomy world of fear. My breath was caught in my chest, unable to circulate heat and emotion.  The footsteps passed and opened a room across the hall. As soon that made sense in my unresponsive mind, I leapt up from the dead and ran at the door. I was screaming at the top of my lungs, jumping up and down thinking that this would save him if he was still alive.  I stood there, inches from the door, just screaming random words of nonsense.  Without thought, I fell to the ground shaking. His face embedded into every corner of the room surrounding me. 

My heart aches, like it will never be complete again. As his face begins to become closer to me, I remember when we met in the warehouse earlier today. He wasn't bleeding. Wasn't being hunted down. He was just Vaughn giving me my countermission. My thoughts shifted to hollow and empty to light and carefree. I blacked out in my insanity.

  I open my eyes and everything is fuzzy. I realize that I'm back at the warehouse yesterday. Safe. Comfortable. I see myself walking towards him. I think to just pull him in my arms and never let him go, to never leave this place. I can't. What I'm seeing I can't change. I'll never be able to change it. Never. I walk down the corridor next to the boxes of things I don't care to know about. I had just gotten a wrong number and came. I was filled with excitement, but also fear. I would be able to see him, but that also meant more lies and secrets. I finally turn the corner and find myself staring at him sitting in a solitary chair.

 "Hi Syd," He stands as he acknowledges my presence. I noticed the Kings pen and knew he had been tapping the edge of the solitary table next to him. I smiled, letting him know I was glad to see him.

 "Hi, what's my countermission?" 

 "Sloane has asked you to go to Italy and retrieve an ancient vase from a museum.  We have reason to believe that this vase is somehow related to Rambaldi. The vase isn't guarded heavily. You shouldn't have any trouble. You will retrieve the vase, but after you have it, meet me in the first storeroom you pass. I will hand you a fake. Got it?"

"Yep, I think so," I answer him back, gazing into his eyes. More lies, more secrets. "It shouldn't be that hard. Anyway," the frown on his forehead begins to show, "I just wanted to let you know that we will be in Italy and, well, we might be able to go to that restaurant?" He looked me straight in the eye. I couldn't help but to smile. I felt myself blushing, my cheeks felt like they could explode. I pushed my hair out of my face and looked down at the dusty floor, avoiding his comforting gaze. I wanted to tell him, tell him how much I loved him. 

  "What about Dixon?" I interrogate him with a smile, trying to give him a little hint.

 "You can sneak out of his eye for a second and come away with me. Remember, the food's too good to miss. Plus, if we do get seen at least we would have a great last meal together," he thoughtfully answered back with that adorable grin that tears away at my heart.

 "I'm sure he'd notice, but I'd love to. We'll have to make an escape route for me and of course, most importantly a beautiful disguise," I laugh at myself and just grin at him. He joins me and I laugh harder.

  Our laughter is cut way too short by my beeper going off. I looked down and saw Francie's number. Why?!

 "I have to go. When is your flight?" I want to stay.

 "In two hours, you?"

 "An hour, you're lucky," a small laugh stumbles its way out.

"Bye, be safe." He looks at me directly in my eyes.

I want to hold me and get rid of all the lies and secrets hidden between us. I can see them in his eyes. He probably sees them in mine as well. "You too, bye."

            The world becomes fuzzy again as I regain myself. Why didn't I tell him how I feel. I can still smell him, hear his voice. I begin to shake all over again. A numbness falls over my body. Vaughn. Vaughn. His face still clear in my mind, I stare at the far corner opposite of the warming light peeking in on my deserted world, trying to steal my lies. I feel like I need to cry. I want to cry, but I can't. The tiny ocean in my eyes has dried up. I sit there in silence, trying to cry. Trying to see if I'm anything more than an empty hole taking up valuable space. After hours of sitting in complete silence, concentrating on crying, only accomplishing three solitary tears, I'm interrupted. 

            I faintly heard the rattling of keys and locks, but disregarded them. I thought I made them up. Silence almost became a part of me, a place where I could rest and think of him. 

            The door burst open, sending uncomfortable amounts of blinding light framing my back.  I didn't turn around. I couldn't. I knew if I did I would cry. I realized I didn't want to cry. If I saw them, my enemy, I would crumble. They killed him, and by killing him, killed my will to live. Once the door opened, I abandoned who I was, Sydney Bristow. If I was capable of abandoning the man I love more than taking down SD-6, then I can take myself down. 

            The enemy walked into the room. It's footsteps definite and echoing in my hollow world of nothing. 

"Sydney," the enemy spoke and I knew immediately who he was.

            Without thinking, I sprung up and started screaming at him. How could he do this to me? I didn't care if he had won by hurting me or hurting the man I loved. I screamed so loud and hard right into his face so he could hear me.

"Where is he? Where is he? Is he alive?" I repeated those crucial words that I had to know. 

            He snapped his fingers and two men came in. They took me by my wrists. As they drug my limp body that muttered senseless words, my fingernails were pinching and scraping their hands of evil. I couldn't do anything else. When I realized that I had passed rooms with other disturbing worlds with sinister thoughts quite like my own world of solitude, I freaked. I stopped and tightened every muscle of my body. I bite the hands of evil and ran to every door I could find. Peered in at their worlds of nothing. When I reached the door across from mine, I stood frozen. Not aware of the three men running to catch me, I slowly peeked into the window of fear. I saw nothing at first, because even something in these rooms, there is nothing. Then slowly, an image of a man crumpled and belittled on the cold ground found my eyes. I pounded on the door, screamed and kicked, even with the sharp pains emitting from the wound. The man turned his head towards the window very gradually. The light began to pick up his features. 

            Suddenly, the hands of evil grabbed me again and begin to drag me to another room full of darkness, where a man was waiting to talk to me. I screamed and kicked. I knew that crumpled man in that room of emptiness, across from dark hollow world. Instantly, my hollow being felt warmth only on the fingertips. I hadn't abandoned him not completely. I allowed myself to cry, on solitary tear.


	3. Uneasy Hope

* Please review!!!!! I want know what you think!!!! Thanks to all of you who gave me great compliments!!! They made my day!!!! Hopefully this chapter keeps you wanting more!!!

Chapter 3-Uneasy Hope

            I saw him. He was alive.  His eyes emitted a luminous glow that etched a ray of hope for me. The tear quickly vanished onto the hands dragging me down the gloomy hallway littered with rooms full of secrets and lies like mine. I wanted to break free and make sure he wasn't a cruel hallucination, that I had actually seen him, alive. I was finally taken to another dingy room where I would be strapped down onto a solitary metal chair. The two men who thought they were defending our country threw me into the chair. When they were strapping me in, I didn't move. There was no reason to, I couldn't escape. They left me alone. I stared at the small window shining an unfamiliar light on my face, blinding me. Waiting, I thought. My thoughts wandered to how he survived, how we could get out, and what might become of us. Within seconds, the most terrible man walked into my little corner of devastation. He shut the door abruptly behind him and said nothing. I stared him straight in the eye, making sure he knew I was not afraid of him. When he opened his sinister mouth to speak, I felt my blood curdle. I hated Arvin Sloane with every fiber of my being.

 "Hello Sydney."

I kept on staring at him trying to bite back my feelings to break the restraining chair to attack him. 

 "See I always thought you knew how I thought of you," he paused for a reaction, there was none, "but I never thought you would be the one to go against me. Everyone told me it was you, but I thought differently."

He stopped and looked at me, as if asking for permission to continue. I sharpened my eyes careful to not let him see my weaknesses again. I now had purpose back in my life.

 "Now, you see, I'm in quite a predicament. I don't want to kill you; I never want to kill anyone."

Unless they harm your reputation with the Alliance? I thought, knowing perfectly well that he would enjoy aiming a gun at my head.

 "I have to, though, you now that more than anyone. Don't worry, we'll kill you almost pain free, but your friend, Mr. Vaughn, will have a different ending." He spoke those words with such glee and satisfaction. With that I couldn't take it, all the anger bottled up inside me broke free. I snapped. 

 "He's done nothing to you. What right do you have to torture him! No!!" After I spoke with such venom and spite, I couldn't stop. Tears flowed, words that had filled my head for the past hours screamed out at him. 

As he began to leave he turned around and nonchalantly added, "We'll talk again, and I'll be anticipating it." He left the room with a sudden snap of the heels. I kept on screaming as the hands of evil reappeared and forced me out of the chair. I became silent as soon as I realized he had won again. I became silent, obedient. I looked in on the other rooms. I saw no one that I knew. All I saw were frail lifeless bodies waiting for when their time to be tortured came. I glanced to the room across from mine, before they began shoving me through the door. 

I became stiff. I didn't move, tensing every muscle in my body. I needed to see if he was still there. I saw a large void inside the almost empty cave. I acted as if submitting to the evils hands and let them guide me, only to twist their wrists and send them to the ground which I knew too well. I ran to his door, banging it. He heard and looked up from his uncomfortable position of dim images running through his mind. His eyes filled with such hope and … I couldn't pin point it to a certain feeling. I felt it to, a happiness that was possible in all this dreadful filth. His eyes welled up with tears as he put his hand on the thin window that separated such a strong force. I, without thinking, did the same significant action and managed a semi-smile. We were transported to a different world in mere seconds. I then realized that the men on the floor held the keys to unlock our weighted down hearts. I smiled into his perfect face, which was now bristly and bruised. All the same, it was perfect to me. Jumping to grab the keys, I found them instantly dangling in an evil hand. I snatched them up with ease, the problem was, which one opened our hearts. I frantically guessed one after the other. He began to grow impatient and worried. I could see the worry in his heart grow on his forehead. I kept dropping the keys and looking over my shoulder. I heard movement and looked into Vaughn's face which was now screaming words that never converted into sound. I felt a sharp pain to the back of my neck and sunk into a deep restless sleep.

            Hours or days later, I don't know, I awoke. I panicked. I skimmed my hands over my entire body to make sure I was alive. Once I had confirmed that I was indeed alive, I screamed. I screamed into the vacuum that encompassed my worthlessness. I hated to be alive. I needed him. I became aware of every sound and every movement around me. I stared at anything that might hold a happy memory or positive story in it, so that I wouldn't think of him, alive or dead by now. I stared into the deep color of black on my skirt that became poisoned by my endless stream of tears. I loved this skirt. I wore it to the museum to get that worthless vase, because I had to attend a meaningless seminar to obtain insignificant information about the security of the building. The skirt moved with every step I took, every chill that was sent down my spine. I felt such grace and elegance, plus I knew he would love it. I stared at the patterns made by the tears. I saw millions of rivers and imagined sailing down them to a far off ocean in a distant land where I could be free. 

My thoughts of fantasy and dreams were cut short by a quick, stark banging coming from across the canyon from the other room. I jumped, where were they taking him? I forced my frail body to get up and break out of this world by looking out of the window. My dull eyes drifted out of the darkness and into the light. Two eyes, just as dull as mine, shone through the cold gap between us. I banged on the door to let him know I was still there. We stood there in the dim darkness of fear and stared at each other. Comforting one another with just our eyes, whole conversations spoken, neither of us felt alone. Besides how we felt, we were merely specks of dirt in the eyes of Sloane, waiting to crush our spirits as he began to walk down the pit of nothing to stare us in the eye with a gun ready and poised behind his back.


	4. Helpless

Chapter 4-Helpless

            I stared into Vaughn's eyes capturing his heart in her mind. I didn't know how long we stood there and I didn't care. I had lost track of time and I didn't mind that, as long as he was right in front of me. Vaughn's exquisite lips began to move. He mouthed three words that I couldn't make out, because the overwhelming tears had found their way to the surface, fogging my vision. The sound of heavy determined footsteps filled the silence. His eyes became drawn forward, scared looking. Our stares became more intense, sensing that this may be the last time we might see each other. I didn't cry, I forced myself not to cry. He would not see me like this before.. … before…..  A single distinct tear found its way to the outside getting rid of the lies. I smiled at him letting him see my dimples which I know drive him crazy. He simply grinned holding back his tears; I know he didn't want me to remember him crying. 

The earth-shattering sound of the footsteps grew near until they were stopped in front of our doors. I turned my back, I couldn't face him. Tears flowed, but no sounds were heard. I turned back around to see if he had left. He hadn't, he just stood there staring at me with a smirk that I would love to smack off of his face. The horror of his smirk didn't hit me until he turned around and casually opened Vaughn's blurry world of hate. Sloane made sure that I saw why he waited for me to see him smirk. Behind his back, he waved a pistol nonchalantly at me. Teasing me. Torturing me. 

I couldn't breathe. I gasped for any slight feeling of oxygen circulating through my brittle body. I heard the faint sound of a distant door slamming, recognizing that it was he's. I grabbed my heart to hear it pound, over and over, faster and faster. I walked insignificantly toward the opposite wall staring at a small speck of dirt. Following it, oblivious to anything happening within a mile. I reached my frail index finger towards the speck and lifted it up off the bare wall. Examining the tiny speck, I saw myself. Grasping on to anything with any form of strength. I turned to face the door, expecting myself to run to the window to seek out the truth of what was happening. I didn't. I didn't dare do that, never. Instead I leaned on the secure bare wall, and fell to the ground holding onto the speck, staring at it. I felt myself leaning forward over my useless hands into my stained black skirt that held my sorrow. I created more patterns finding comfort in the sheer darkness that I found in closing my eyes. I imagined the worst which was probably what was occurring so close to my heart. My head became unclear with dizzy thoughts and imprecise feelings. I blacked out. I couldn't handle the situation that seemed too bizarre to be real, even in my world of craziness.

I dreamed of Vaughn and I running through a crowed street, hands latched on to each other never separating. People were screaming in every language, which we both understood. Every person was telling us to hide, to run away. We tried to. We kept running, but the street kept getting more crowded, full of sticky and unwanted people. I screamed for them to move.

 "We need to get through. They are chasing us. Move."

Vaughn was screaming as well, but he always kept an eye on me. I felt safe, even in all of the commotion going on around us. I tried to retighten my grip on his hand, but couldn't. His hand had become limp, as well as his entire being. Gunshots and bullets filled the street with more commotion. I fell to his side, tightening my grip around his entire body. What was happening? Why?

 "Sydney!!! Sydney!!" He kept screaming my name, over and over again.

His voice mixed with a never ending stream of gunshots and the smell of fresh blood buried itself in my mind. With one remote clear gunshot, louder than the thousands of others, I snapped my head up.

 "Sydney!" In the near distance, I heard my name in a noticeable voice. My stomach dropped to the bottom of my heels. I tried to scream. Nothing came out. Nothing at all. I rocked back and forth, wildly. My breathing became deep and raspy, forced. In a flurry of confusion, I heard it. That distinct sound that filled my haunting dream, that ate away at my soul. A solitary gunshot. 

            I sprang up out of my trance. My brain took control over my body telling my numb legs to move, but they wouldn't. They just remained stationary, shocked. My face was puzzled. Tears welled up in my eyes. I crawled to the far corner away from the window, from the man that lay dead on the ground two doors beyond me. I scratched at the dusty cement ground painting it with tears. My fingers became raw from the scratching, bleeding. I, I, needed something to grab onto, to destroy. I grabbed my skirt. Pulling at it, tearing it to shreds so that it was just a frayed piece of cloth covering my deadened hollow speck of dust. I couldn't stand to sit, but didn't have the energy to stand. I gripped my hair with fierceness and began jerking at random pieces that made their way into my coarse hands. I finally was able to emit a sound, a terrible shrieking. I crumbled into my ratted skirt, sobbing like a five year old, helpless. 

            Heaving and shaking from head to toe, I didn't hear the fumble of keys or the soft footsteps approaching my distraught dwelling. I didn't notice the two pairs of eyes gazing at me intently with sorrow and hurt. I didn't notice the door knob turn ever so slowly without making a solid sound. I didn't notice him walk in and stand above me.

  "Sydney." 


	5. Falling

*Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the others!!! Thank you soo much for those of you who keep writing me reviews, they are very encouraging and help me get to writing more chapters!!!! Please keep up reviewing and those of you who aren't reviewing, Please!!!!!!!!! Thank you and have fun reading this chapter!!!

Chapter 5-Falling

             The fog inside my head cleared and my heart stopped immediately. I didn't lift my head, too afraid that it was a cruel joke that my mind had decided to play on me. The man who I didn't believe was there bent down on his knees and lifted his empty hands toward my face. With an easy gesture, he elevated my tear-stained face level to his, gently lifting up my chin. I saw him, Vaughn, bruised, bloody, weary, and flawless. My heart let out a huge cry of relief. Every part of my body relaxing, he was in front of me, alive.  I couldn't believe it. My mouth just dropped, trying to stammer something out but nothing came. The only thing that came out was tears, not of despair, but of pure joy. He saw the relief in my eyes and caressed my cheeks, bringing me closer into his grip. I fell into him, embracing every fiber of his being. My arms that were full of lead reached out and hugged him. I kept touching him and repositioning my hands to make sure he was real, solid, alive. My head was nestled perfectly under his chin, retaining the hard grip on him, afraid that he might be gone if I loosen my hold on him.

 "I love you, Sydney. I love you, I love you," he whispered in my ear sending chills down my spine.

 "I love you, too," I managed to say through deep raspy breaths and streams of tears running down my face cooling his neck.

We sat in silence cradling each other and running our feeble fingers through one another's tousled hair. Enjoying the love that we gave each other, embracing it deep down in our souls.  For once it was comforting, to just sit in the sound of silence and not be afraid of it. I wanted to stay enclosed in this tiny circle of peace that we had created, disconnected from the world of darkness that lay only 5 feet beyond ourselves. How could this be? How could he be alive? I don't care, to be truthful. All I really care about is that he is here, in my arms, loving me. He brushed his hand under the nape of my neck bringing it around to my cheek, stroking it affectionately. I gazed deeply into his eyes, which were welling up with tears.

 "Syd, we have to go. There'll be coming to get us any moment." He was right, but I didn't want to leave this moment.  We slowly unraveled, regretting it as we broke apart. He stepped up onto his feet and held out a strong reassuring hand for help. I took it gratefully, for by now I was so weak, I couldn't stand on my own. Regaining my composure, I stood, yet still shaken from the wonderful sight of him reappearing into my life, bringing warmth to a cold night. 

Timidly, we walked out of the dark shadowy cell that stole our secrets and lies. He led me past the other rooms that held desolation beyond all belief. Turning his back, mine as well, from the now empty cell, where he had lay crumpled just minutes ago, so that neither of us would see what he had done to free us. When we passed the doorway that held the motionless Sloane, I cringed with relief. Vaughn shrugged off the room, trying to leave its memory behind, I knew that wasn't possible. As we kept walking through the ghostly hallways, our pace began to quicken, knowing that we would soon be followed. 

As we turned the corner, so close to leaving the secrets behind us, we heard a faint sound. A terrible sound that dampened our spirits. Footsteps. Running. Following. I didn't know where we were going. Looking at Vaughn for an answer, I knew he didn't either, his worry lines on his forehead were beginning to appear. We followed our instincts, hoping that they would prove themselves to be right.  We passed room by room, void after void, destruction to destruction. The further we ran, the lighter each room got. The men chasing us, trying to kill us, began shooting at us. We were merely tiny objects at an arcade game; if you kill both of us, you'll win a promotion within the Alliance. By now, we were at full speed, running as fast as we could. My heart bursting with pain from beating so rapidly, caused my breathing to become uneven and painful. For once I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to make it out alive. Not for my sake, but for his. The enemy kept getting closer and closer, they're aiming began to get more accurate, until it struck one of us. They shot me in the back, piercing my skin, sending a shock of pain throughout my entire body. I fell to the ground, giving up, sobbing, beaten down. 

 "Sydney! No, come on!! We have to go!! Get up, get up, get up!!!" He screamed at me, pleading for my life.

 "I, I can't it..hurts….too ….bad" I couldn't move for it caused my body to go momentarily numb.

            Vaughn just stared at me with a look of horror and fear, tears streaming down his face. He glanced down the hall fearfully to where the men with hatred running through their veins continued to move closer. Losing hope, I looked up at him, mouthing the words, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I felt sorry, sorry for holding him back, killing him, stalling his pace to freedom. I'm sorry. Tears flowed out of the deadened holes where my eyes should be, unafraid. How could Sloane do this to us when he was dead. It wasn't fair, the cruelty of the dreadful situation that he had managed to place us in, as if we were Barbie dolls obeying his every command, sunk into me further as I sunk into the ground further.

 "Come on, Syd. You have to. Just try, get up," he pleaded grabbing onto my arm, tugging at me with all his might, while I shook my head ever so slowly, tears flying through the hollowed space. "You have to. I love you. Take my hand." His eyes held such sorrow and anguish. Panicked and grief-stricken, he took one last look at the men and bent over top of me. He looked longingly at my tortured face, capturing every detail that embodied my features. He turned his head slightly to the side, closing his eyes, releasing tears, hoping I didn't see them. I immediately thought that he would just leave me there alone, without help, abandoning me without ever looking back like I did to him at the museum.

 I was surprised when he reached under my body and lifted me up, effortlessly. Tears loomed out above both of our distressed eyes, I held on to him with all my might. Breathing in his scent, grasping onto his feelings, taking in his pain, loving him. Once he had my weak, down-trodden body, which I'm ashamed of, in his arms safe, he ran. I buried my tearstained face in his strong chest, ruining his shirt with remnants of my grief. Feeling the stale air brush past my stunned being, stinging my wound that was gushing blood, leaving a trail. He noticed this and placed one solitary hand over it, concealing it and the pain.  He ran for so long, so fast that I didn't know what was going on. He finally reached a door after minutes of dodging bullets and smart guesses. We emerged from the building of misfortune and ran out of the doors into the cool crisp darkness of night. The smell of the fresh sea over our shoulders, reassured us slightly. The blood discharging from my back stained his hands, hopefully he didn't mind. They were still chasing us, unforgiving, steady. Bullets still firing away at us, inexhaustible.

            Yet, he still ran with me shaking in his arms through the streets of a distant land that neither of us knew very well. I heard his every gasp for air, every pump of his heart, and every question in his head while he held me tight in his arms, forcing me against him. He took me down many streets that I didn't bother to notice, until he had run for at least forty minutes, losing the men that hunted us like deer. Finally, he stopped in the middle of a crowded street and stared at a very chic apartment in the middle of town. When he stopped, I lifted my head only three inches up, I couldn't move it any farther, wondering why he stopped. Was he giving up? Did he lose hope? Was he at a dead end, cornered in? Did he not care anymore, like me, minutes ago? 

As soon as I peeked out above his shoulder, I saw it.  I could only see a portion of the safehouse, but sighed a huge relief when I saw the fraction of what I did see.  On the door, a wreath welcomed us with pale pink roses and bows entwining the leaves. I sank back into his consoling clasp, my vision weakening. He walked quietly up the steps to the door. Silently, he looked at me caring, then puzzled, then afraid. I saw every emotion that flashed through his heart and mind. I sighed heavily, trying hard to get enough air.

 "Sydney, do you have the strength to stand for a second, if I lean you against the door? I need to search for the key. Sydney?" He looked at me nervous and frightened with tears lining his bright green eyes that shone through the dark, even when drenched in the murky texture of tears. He was trying to be brave at a time where I knew he felt like sinking down to the ground crying. I loved him more than I ever did. This forced a quaint smile out of my emotionless face. I nodded with a small, slow movement of my head. He  carefully set me up against the door, placing my hands at the posts on the side for me to grab onto. Before searching for the key to enable us to rest, he kissed my head softly, calming me down, making sure I was able to stand. I latched onto the post, using all my energy I had left. I had to be strong, had to remain standing, for him. My head began to feel heavy and dizzy, fogging up. Just in time, after seconds of searching, he found the key and whisked me back up into his arms before I fell defenseless to the cement steps. Unlocking the door, he walked into the dark, empty apartment. Closing the door behind us, I saw him lock all the locks that were on the door, eight or four, I don't know, my mind still fuzzy, becoming less clear by the moment. 

 "It's going to be alright. Just don't worry, Syd. Okay. We'll be fine, I'll call Devlin. I'll get you help, you'll be fine. Just don't worry." He whispered into the shadows comforting me, stroking my hair, leading me to the back room. 

            My mind kept getting more clouded and confused with each step he took, I heard his gentle voice in the background trailing. I tightened my grip, even though I couldn't, it just kept getting weaker and weaker. My fingers flailing, reaching, slipping.  I tried so hard to tighten my grip, afraid I was going to fall, tears began to cascade down my fragile face again. I concentrated so hard, but couldn't force myself to tighten my grip. He tightened his grip seeing my frustration, he read every thought in my mind. My head finally nestled into his chest, too heavy to hold up. He began to shake me, to stop me from falling, but he couldn't help it. I could distinguish only a faint cry, a plea for my safety, in the far-off world of love. I felt a tear, not of my own, splash coolness onto my cheek. With that, my vision went black, just like the world around me. More tears splashed down on my face, that I couldn't feel and never knew existed. I fell too far to fast to soon.


	6. Correct Me

Chapter 6- Correct Me

            I awoke to feel a cool breeze graze over my bandages, gently caressing the stinging wound in my weakened back. I lay there for minutes, with my eyes closed, replaying what had happened in the past days. A solitary tear came streaming down my face. I couldn't handle it, it was too much, too painful, too wonderful, too everything. Without even noticing it at first, my back sent out piercing shocks throughout my entire unconscious body making me forget everything except that I had been shot. Tears of unrelentless pain came flooding out of my tightly shut eyes. I grabbed onto the sheets, trying to get rid of the pain, sending it aimlessly out into the world. 

Out of nowhere, he came, gently stroking my cheeks, "Its okay. Shhh. You're fine." I felt my hand move searching the bed for his free hand. Finding it, I placed my hand inside his and tightened my grip immediately, oozing out some of my pain through him. My breath was still raspy and disconnected, hard and concentrated. I breathed heavily in and out, releasing tears once more. He wiped them away with his finger, and wiped away my fear. I struggle to find words, trying many times before I was able to send out anything noticeable of a word.

 "Vaughn?" I barely made a sound; it was half of a tiny whisper. I tried again, to make it louder, letting him know I knew he was there, loving me. "Vaughn,……hi." The throbbing in my back made every day procedures like speaking one word feel like running for miles at a time. Gently rubbing his thumb, I opened my eyes and welcomed the calming sight of his brilliant eyes looking at me with such adoration. His face looking rugged and tired, brought a sense of warmth I didn't know I was capable of feeling.  

  "Hi," he whispered back matching my volume and sincerity. My back still hurt, but I couldn't feel it. It had gone numb, for the rest of my body was in an active flurry of soothing. Sitting in a chair, pulled up as close as it could go to my bed, he cared for me, watching over me, my guardian angel. His relaxing sight had made me forget about where I was and what was going on. Realizing I had no idea of what was going on, I panicked and suddenly sat upright, instantly regretting it for it brought such pain.

 "Where am I, what happened, are we going to be okay, what day is it, am I going to be okay, am I… going…" he stopped me from speaking another syllable of frightened thoughts clouding my head by gently pushing me back to the cushioned relief of the bed.

  "You're fine, it has been almost two days, we're going to be okay. I've called Devlin, we are going to leave here as soon as you're ready.  Trust me, you're not ready, I see it in your brain already, waiting to leave," I smile, he knew me too well, "Don't worry, we'll make it out," he paused watching me smile, embracing it," I love you." He bent over and kissed my hand, knowing that it would hurt me too much if he truly kissed me, no matter how much we wanted to.

            Closing my eyes again, I pull his hand closer to my body. Feeling his heat cover over top of me, I fall back asleep, unaware of any pain, unaware of any unseen dangers that await us in the few hours to come. I am only aware of me and him, risking everything for each other. 

-                                   -                                   -                                   -                                   -                                   -

            I awake suddenly to the sound of glass breaking, making me uneasy and nervous. My eyes pop open and stare at the ceiling, afraid to move, afraid to think. What was that? Is Vaughn okay? Where is Vaughn? He's not beside me, I hear more stirring outside of my room, rushed.

 "Vaughn?" I wait for a few seconds……………Nothing. I begin to panic; a gap in my heart is beginning to crack open and grow.  "Vaughn?" This time forcing a loud sound from my weak voice, scared. Nothing again. Tears silently fall, even they are uneasy and jagged. Without any warning, he emerges in my room, frantic, scurrying about the room snatching things in his hand and placing them in a solitary black bag. "Vaughn?" I silently say, he immediately hears me and turns around, alarmed.

"Come on, we have to go. Please don't ask questions, I know you're ……hurt and …..afraid, but please!....... I'm sorry. Here use my arm, take the blanket with you, you might need it." He stops every few words, catching his breath and staring into my eyes, trying to calm me down, his eyes brimming with tears ready to fall at any given moment.

            I obey him and wrap the warm, quilted blanket over my aching body and take his arm. He leads me through the empty kitchen, past the living room adorned with scattered pieces of glass thrown about, through the door with the welcoming wreath, down the sidewalk watching the cracked surfaces, and into a car with little room. I stare at him with a blank expression as he turns the ignition and drives away from the safe house. My back raging at me with pain ensnaring all of my senses. I remain silent and still, dumbfounded. We spoke of nothing, heard of nothing except my shallow breathing letting us know that we were alive. He turned his head after fifteen minutes of driving out of town, in pure silence. He just opened his mouth and stared at me, ashamed of himself. Finally, he opened his mouth again and spoke, the worry lines in his forehead ever present.

  "I'm sorry, but we, we needed to leave. I, I. . .had to get you to safety."  Faltering on a few words, he took a deep breath, building up enough strength to tell me what I needed to know. "Um, Sloane is alive and he found us." I could see his spirit quickly vanish, without a trace, mine as well.

            I faced forward, into the pitch black of night, numbed. My mouth fell open, poised to say something, but couldn't. I closed my eyes and found myself repeating what Vaughn had just told me over and over, hoping he would tell me it wasn't true. In my mind, I asked him to correct me and tell me that he was dead, dead in cell, where he tried to kill Vaughn, in a hollow, desolate, damp cell.

            But, Vaughn never corrected me. I felt the pain of my back and the reality of everything sink into me, forcing me to lie back down, letting Vaughn take me away, all the while wishing, Please correct me. 

*Please review!!!!!! The more you review, the more I'll be more encouraged to write!!!!! Thank you!!! Please check out my other fic, Broken!!!!!! Thanks!!! 


	7. Driving Away

Chapter 7- Driving Away

            The constant sound of the car's wheels grinding over the cold pavement keeps me awake, staring blanklessly out into nothing. We sit in silence, afraid we will disturb each other's thoughts of misery. I turn my deadened stare towards my lap, tears waiting to fall. I don't know what to think, we've been driving for hours, I lost count after an hour, it seemed too long and slow moving. He didn't even look at me; his hands never loosened their grip on the steering wheel, the only thing real to him. I kept glancing over at him, hoping he would say something to me, and when he didn't, I went back to mindless stares concentrating on the littlest things. My quilt that kept me warm in the broken-down car was one of them. I noticed all of the intricate patterns weaving in and out of the soft fabric, I was glad I listened to him and brought it along. It brought warmth into a startling world of horror and coldness. 

I lost interest in the quilt quickly and glanced back at him. His eyes unwavering and determined, hands rough and tiring, his heart aching. I could hear it pounding, nervous, petrified. I remained staring at him for the longest time, noticing every single detail and line in his face, until he noticed me. He saw the hunger in my eyes for him, saw the worry in my heart for us, and the pain in my back swelling in just one glance. 

 "Sydney," his voice gruff, cutting off the unsettling silence, "I know of a contact out here. He has a vineyard about ten miles from here. We can rest there and maybe, hopefully arrange away home." He turned his focus back on the road, not wanting to look at me. His fingers began to fidget and drum on the steering wheel, anxious. I pulled the warm quilt closer and tighter around my sore body. I had to know the answers to the questions that were burning to get out. No matter how much it will hurt him to answer, which I know it will, and no matter how much it will hurt me to sit still and listen to him suffering

 "What happened while I was sleeping?" a discomforting silence followed my question, that longed to be answered. I was afraid he'd get upset with me, or just not answer, trying to protect me. He opened his mouth to speak and then let his guard down, bringing up tears instead of walls.

 "After you had gone back to sleep, I stayed there beside you for hours, tending to your wound. I couldn't think of anything else to do. You were soo peaceful lying there, but in horrendous pain and I couldn't do a thing." He still stared out into the clear night, only moving his eyes to dispense unwanted tears.

 "I would get up and make something for me to eat, but couldn't manage to eat it." He paused regaining his composure, he knew what he had to tell me next would hurt him all over again. "Then, out of nowhere, they came, shooting the glass out of every window and door. I ran to your room to make sure you were still there, hopefully oblivious to everything. You were, and I was so relieved. I didn't want to go through that. They left as soon as they had come. I peeked out the window without glass to see him. A chill ran down my spine, not believing it. I forgot about him quickly, as I ran about the small house, searching for things that might be useful to us, knowing that we had to leave, knowing that they would return within the hour. Then I heard you faintly whispering, trying so hard to reach me," he stopped, and as he took a deep breath, concentrating even harder on the road, I knew that he loved me. My heart yearns for him as he sits there telling me of an ambush I did not see, which he was glad. 

 "You tried soo hard and I just barked orders at you. You are hurt and I yelled at you. I'm sorry, Sydney. I'm sorry. I just didn't want to lose you again." He slowly turned his head facing mine. Tears streaming down my face, the emptiness that had began to crack open again was now closing itself back up. 

I want to hug him and kiss him with every feeling in my body, but can't because I can barely move. All I can do is nod and whisper back, "Don't be sorry, I didn't even notice. In fact, I'm glad you did. Don't be sorry. I understand." My voice is starting to cause my wound more hurting. Every muscle still aches from another's action. I lift my head, cringing with pain, tears gracefully falling onto the quilt, tears of pure pain.

He removed one of his tense hands from the wheel and tenderly caressed my arm, soothing me. "Shhh, it's okay. I'm here." Yes, you are here and that is all that truly matters to me. I crack a fraction of a smile, knowing how much he means to me. He pulls his hand away from me regretting it, taking away warmth and comfort with it, to steer the car smoothly into the driveway leading to anther safe house, another contact. As soon as he completes the turn to safety, he puts his hand back exactly where it had been before, with more love and comfort than before. I close my eyes and wait peacefully for us to approach the house, silently enduring the pain penetrating through my body except for my arm. 

Vaughn parked the car in front of the main house and got out of the car, hurrying to my side to help me before I had the chance to help myself. He opened the door and crouched down placing his sturdy hand in the middle of my back, careful not to touch the wound still bleeding. Supporting me, he guided me out of the car and up the steps to the front door, always double checking my balance and keeping a firm, yet affectionate grip on me. As he rang the doorbell, a young woman came and answered the door, as soon as she saw me, wrapped in a blanket bleeding; she knew why we were here. She saw the torture and tiredness in our eyes full of blackness, without saying a word, we followed her, not separating from each other's comforting touch.  She welcomed us in and lead us downstairs in the basement, past several hallways and finally to a back room, where we could sleep. 

            Vaughn thanked her and said to get us if any problems arise in trying to connect with the CIA, all without losing his grip on my arm. The room she led us to was small with only one bed, a dresser, and a connecting bathroom. Vaughn directed me to the bed and helped me lay down, with such tenderness. Wrapping another blanket over me, he let go of my arm. He turned around carelessly turned the light off, and without thinking he crept into the bed and placed his strong soothing arms over my body, relaxing and untensing every bone in my body. We drifted off into a deep sleep without any fear or worry affecting us. 

            I heard his every breath falling into my ears reassuring me, felt his every heartbeat gently pump gently against my back. Before  I begin nod off, into a much deserved sleep, he kisses my head, thinking I'm asleep, and gently whispers, "I love you" into my ear, I shiver feeling it press deep into my heart. Thinking I shiver because of the severe coldness, he tightens his hold on me, making me smile even harder. I fall asleep, smiling and carefree. 

*Hope you enjoyed this chapter!!! Don't worry there's much more to come, with much more surprises and turns!!!!! Please REVIEW!!!!! I want to know what you think!!!!! Plus it makes me have a greater ambition to write faster!!!!(Hint!!!!)

Also, please check out my new fic, Broken!!!!! Thanks soo much!!!!!  


	8. Prey

Chapter 8 –Prey

            I awoke, rested, yet still in horrendous pain, slightly shifting to rid my back of stiffening. I didn't want to open my eyes, still holding onto the image of Vaughn and me sleeping side by side, breathing the same air. I tightened my grip on his sturdy arms wrapped around my porcelain-like body, just to make sure that the only good thing that has happened to me was true and not another dark, vicious lie. I resituated myself, very carefully to avoid more pain, facing him, watching his every breath, his chest slowly rising and falling, rising and falling, so peaceful. I pulled myself with all of what was left of my strength closer to him, resting my head on his chest, feeling the rise and fall of his heartbeat, singing me back to sleep. 

He realized I had moved closer to him and he drew me in tighter even closer to him, making no harsh distances between us. He took away one hand from my skin, and smoothly stroked my hair, his heartbeat still evident running over and over in my ears. We stayed like this in pure and loving silence, not aware of anything but each other. Forgetting about everything, terrible and hard that had happened to us in the past days, just focusing on what we have in our arms reach. A hushed tear fell from my closed eyes that savored the moment. The pain that was etched in my back was reverberating through out my entire body, causing my already black sight to go fuzzy. I clenched my arms around him, an unbreakable hold on him, sending all of my hurt and sorrow through him to help me. He opened his soft, glazy eyes and stared at me, crying, the tears falling out of nowhere.

Tenderly, he wiped away the tears and caressed my cheeks, his eyes still locked on mine, which were still shut tight trying to fight off the never-ending flow of pain. Without warning, we were caught off-guard, the door opened. He shielded me, protecting me, incase it was someone coming after us, finding us out. My breath was caught in my throat, waiting impatiently for any sound of hope. He sat upright, creating a gap of coldness where he was. Placing his hand over my side, holding me down to prevent further pain, he listened intently for the person to reveal themselves. It was our contact, I heard him sigh and relaxed, in and out of consciousness. 

 "We have made connections with Devlin and you are to report to a near-by field where a helicopter will be waiting for you to take you back to the states. You will need disguises. I have them here in this bag, hopefully everything fits." I could sense him nodding his end, soaking up very word making sure he didn't get anything wrong. "Once you are done changing, please come upstairs as soon as possible, we have arranged a car for you. Do you need anything else?" She was aware she was interrupting something, she didn't know what, but knew it was something that meant the world to us.

 "No, thank you, we appreciate it." With a nod, she had closed the door behind her, leaving just Vaughn and me alone again, the way I wish it could remain forever. He sank back down next to me, refilling the empty gap with refreshing warmth that caused me to regain all my senses. 

            Looking down at me, he lifted my chin, enabling me to open my tired eyes. I opened them to see him, perfect, hair out of place, weak looking, but he was Vaughn all the same. He greeted my awakening with his gorgeous grin that makes my go weak in the knees, in this case weak in the heart. 

"Sydney, I love you," I just smiled back, mouthing the same three vital words back to him, he understood that it hurt to much to speak, let alone move. 

 "We have to go and meet Devlin a couple of miles from here. We're going to leave, going back to L.A." I closed my eyes, smiling at the thought of seeing my home, the smell of it, drifted into my senses, causing me to become homesick for the first time I could ever remember. He gazed at my smile, capturing it in his mind, saving it in the back of his memory, for when the world of darkness captures him again. I break out of my trance of pity, and start to stir out of the security we had created for ourselves, apologizing to myself for the pain I know that will follow. 

He stops me putting his hand on my shoulder, softly pushing back onto the bed. Getting up and brushing off the sleepiness that consumes him, he cradles my arms, helping me up. "Here, don't try, I'll help you." He smiled into my eyes full of love and anguish hiding behind a mask of tears. I whispered thank you, in return receiving a kiss on my forehead, kissing away my pain momentarily, opening a gate to a peaceful numbness. I feel as if I'm ready to fall, succumbed to the power he had on me, and that was just a subtle kiss on the head. He held me near his body, a fort for my trampled frame, steadying my unbalanced limbs. 

He walked over to the bag that held our new identities for the day and picked it up in his free hand, the other still hanging onto me, firmly. I couldn't stand much longer, the pain had transferred from my back to my whole entire body, releasing tremendous amounts of pain circulating, crushing my nerves. I slump into his shoulder, faintly blacking out in a very steady slow motion, noticing my surroundings as I diminish into nothing, as his hand drops our identities as he reaches for me, catching me in his arms, hurt, broken.

-                       -                                               -                                               -                                   -                       -

 I regain my consciousness as someone is carrying me into a beat-up car that reflects my shape rather than a mode of transportation. I can feel the blaring heat radiating off the unforgiving sun burning through my closed eyes. I tried to open them to see who was caring me, but I didn't have to open them to know. I could smell the sweet, comforting scent of him rubbing up against my chin. I buried my blinded eyes into the darkness of his shirt. He continues to carry me, not noticing that I have awoken, and gently lays me down. I fall back into the chair, sinking into it, letting it mold to my form. He places the quilt over top of me, not knowing if I was cold, just to be sure I was comfortable, despite the pain that was ceasing. 

He shuts the door cautiously and quietly, being careful to not awake me, even though I am aware of his every move, making it apart of me, knowing the sound of him lifting his fingers off the rusted metal of the door. I clasp my brittle fingers over the top of the quilt for a sense of feeling. I hear his heavy footsteps adorn the gravel drive and make his way to the driver's side and get in, still very cautious as to not wake me.

 "Hi," I weakly moan, causing an aching in my throat, the sunlight still berating at my eyelids. I feel his green eyes scan the seat for me, I can feel his face lift up in a smile, in relief. He turns the ignition and starts the car to take us to our lives that we so desperately want back, but will never be able to live again, never. His hand rests on my knee, rubbing it in circles. As we drive out of the sight of the towering vineyard, I open my eyes. I look at him, but I don't see Vaughn.

            I see a man that resembles Vaughn, but vaguely. His hair, a deep shade of brown, has the same tousled look. He had taken on a new identity in his appearance, but I could feel his spirit that will never change, underneath his disguise. Reaching for my hair, I feel long hair down to at least my waist, black. 

            We were new people on the outside, knowing nothing, going nowhere, remembering nothing, but on the inside our mission and focus had not changed. We longed for a chance to survive, the sound of a distant helicopter brought light into our despairing lives, we fought to hold back the tears of joy raging inside of us. We know that that helicopter was for us, to take us away from this nightmare that had caught us by the ankles and chained us to the wall, torturing us. I glanced over at him, unrecognizable by sight, but known by heart, and saw the same feelings bottled up deep inside. 

            He turned the car around the last corner that separated us between our freedoms, progressively gaining speed by the second. We were so close when we heard the engine of a near by car getting closer and closer and closer. I sprang up ignoring the stinging sensation spreading its way through my body, losing hope. I turned my head, seeing a black convertible, a man with gray hair just barely visible in the driver's seat.

            Vaughn sped up, his eyes determined on the helicopter that loomed over top of us, knocking out all feeling and sound that had somehow broken its way through our senseless bodies. A gun aimed at our tires, shot through the heavy thickness of nothing, tearing away at the thought of surviving. Tires shot, Vaughn jumped out of the car, running to get my useless body, taking up time and space. He ran with me glued to his arms by love, and yet the black car of threatening disaster came barreling at full speed catching up on us like mice being chased by a cat. Vaughn kept a straight eye on the helicopter just yards away, while I glared at the man in the car that caused this whole mess, with a feeling of anger and resentment, watching him, just feet away, inching upon his, his prey. 

*So, did you like it or not? Please let me know and add any suggestions to help me!!!! Thanks a lot!!!! Thank you sooo much for all the review soo far, they really encourage me to keep writing!!!!!! Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter and are anticipating the next!!!!! Thanks!!!!!


	9. A New Life

Chapter 9 –A New Life

            My blank eyes staring off into the near distance, focusing on him with a gun in his hand, aiming it at us. My heart pounds quickly and hard, echoing on Vaughn's chest, his heart imitating mine. I can feel the unsteady paces he's taking and the jerkiness of him running, up and down, bouncing, rough. My wound on my back began stretching, tearing, throbbing. 

            I can't keep my mind in order. Everything is trickling about in blurry objects, spinning. My heart aching, hurting for his touch, even though I'm holding onto him fiercely. I bury my head into his neck, whispering into his ear, "I love you, I love you," a last testament to our love. Tears fall mindlessly down his shirt, slipping down to the ground, as I see Sloane inching closer and closer, at our heels, raising his gun into the air and firing a single solitary bullet shot into the thick silence of pandemonium. Everything seemed to flash before my eyes like an old movie that makes no sense. I see the helicopter so close, so close that I can feel the wind tempting me. Its blades winding rapidly, matching the rate of my heart, the bullet from the gun zeroing in on us, causing Sloane to grin evilly. Vaughn wrapping his arms forcefully around me and losing all feeling in his limbs from running, and me, lying in his arms, staring at it all, helpless.

            I saw the bullet coming right at Vaughn, targeting him, wanting him just as much as I do. My heart thrashed wildly inside its tight cage, growing louder and louder until it was all I could hear. The bullet finally struck him, just barely. Grazing over top of his shoulder, skimming over my lifeless lump and hurtling on towards the far off mountains into nothing.

            I looked up towards the helicopter looming right in front of us; Vaughn heaved me up onto the floor of it, before jumping up himself, all the while Sloane getting closer. Yelling at the pilot to leave, we stared blissfully at the diminishing spot on the ground that was Sloane firing away at us, losing. 

            I sunk back into the floor of the helicopter finally safe, able to breathe. Vaughn just stared at where we had just escaped, dumbfounded and out of breath. He shut the door, finalizing that we had made it to safety. I sighed exhaling all the secrets, all the lies, and all the hurt. Vaughn pulled a blanket out of a box near the door, wrapping it around me; I was shivering even though it was almost eighty degrees outside. 

            I sat recollecting myself, relieved that we had made it to temporarily safety. My happy thoughts were short term, once I realized that I would never be able to return back to my normal, if you could call it that, life. A few tears began to cascade down my face, the rest have all been used up. Vaughn saw me crying and took me in his arms, rocking me back and forth, back and forth, affectionately. I held onto him, making my muscles ache from clinging on so tightly. The same thoughts of what next, where to, what now ran through his mind. As the helicopter flew over the Atlantic and over the Rockies flying us home, we sat in silence, not wanting to speak the words we were afraid of. They crept up on us, always in the back of our minds, in the back of our tongues, poised but never to emerge. Holding each other, lying down, we feared our return, if only we could just stay up in the air, flying free together. I fell asleep in his clasp, forgetting about the world that kept going on around us.

 -                            -                                 -                                -                              -                                 -                  -

            After many precautions and surveillance issues, Vaughn and I were led to the underground section of the CIA in L.A., finally home, breathing in the unusually comforting smell of smog. We were escorted into Devlin's office and immediately greeted by my father, thoroughly grief-stricken.

 "Sydney!" He ran up to me and hugged me. I didn't think that I would miss him so much, but I did. I hugged him with all of my might and power, more tears pouring out of my eyes. I laughed at my now permanently tear-stained face. I couldn't believe what was happening, less than twenty-four hours ago; I thought life was finished with me. Now I was back home, with my father. And Vaughn was alive. I looked over my father's shoulder and saw a tear drop gradually fall down to the soft carpet, all the while looking intently at me with a weak, comforting smile. My heart fluttered and realized that no one here can know, bringing more streams breaking free. I quickly returned my thoughts on my father, hopefully to mask my emotions for Vaughn.

            We broke our embrace and I felt such happiness, but was quickly reminded of the seriousness of the issue at hand.

Devlin cut into the peaceful silence that no one else wanted to stop short knowing the worry and confusion that would ensue. 

"Now, this is a very difficult matter to handle. Let me get this all straight in my head, you two were found out and held captive in Italy. Now that you broke free, Sloane is out there looking for you. Is that it?"

"Not exactly, but that is the main idea." I couldn't believe that was all that he said we had been through, to me it seemed a whole lot worse and much more. I wanted to scream out all the emotions, hurt, pain and torture we had been through.  

 "Excuse me, sir, but can you just get to what is going to happen to Sy-Agent Bristow and me? I already know what happened. You don't have to remind us." His lines in his forehead were extremely vivid and I could hear the apprehension and fear in his voice, cracking the last few words that leaked out of his mouth. I crept up onto the tip of my toes, waiting impatiently to learn my fate.  How are Vaughn and I going to go back to our old lives? We weren't. We will never be able to claim our lives for ourselves anymore. Never. 

"I don't know, it is up to Ms. Bristow and you. You have a couple of options. One, the obvious, go into witness protection." No, I always said that I will never do that, never give into Sloane's wrath. Devlin stared at us, trying to read our faces, he couldn't make out what was going on inside, so he continued. "Two, live in underground living quarters beneath this facility." Was he serious, after living my whole entire life disconnected from truths and everyone I cared about, I wasn't just about to give up the little truth I had with people. "And finally three, hide throughout the world, disappearing, having no identity."

            I guided my numb legs to the nearest chair, and sank hard into the stiff comfort. Staring off into nothing, I found nothing. All three of those options contained nothing, held nothing for any promise of any life. Any love and any more truth. I turned my head to face a puzzled Vaughn leaning against the far wall, looking at me for an answer.

            Finally the question we knew we wanted to ask tumbled out of my dumbstruck mouth. "Will we get to see each other?"

"Who is we?" Devlin, just as lost and confused as everyone else, demanded.

            I sat there unable to move, recognizing that what I had just said wasn't supposed to be know, wasn't supposed to be mentioned, or even thought about. I opened my mouth and tried to find the words to explain myself and reveal all the truths begging to be freed. But they didn't come, just a strange gurgled, forced sound made its way up through my strangled throat filled with love. I sat uncomfortably, my face distorted with uncertainty. Without any further confusion, I was shocked when I heard a voice break the unsettling silence.

 "Sydney and I." Vaughn said with such justification. My eyes wide, filled with tears and I was proud of him, and ashamed of myself for not doing the same. As soon as he had spoken, he realized what he had just said was not allowed, against protocol.

He lowered his head, sensing Devlin's glare that followed. My mouth hung open, adoration completely visible. 

            Devlin relaxed back in his chair, thinking deeply on the secrets hidden starting to unravel, steadily like a ball of yarn. Few minutes of uneasy silence followed, mindless stares and eyes scanning the room for any sign of decision or relief. Finally Devlin broke his determined fix. "Can everyone please leave, except Agent Bristow and Mr. Vaughn?" 

            With worried glances, I stayed rigid in my chair, looking at a just as uneasy Vaughn staring at the unusual patterns scattering the carpet. What was he going to do? Then I realized that I don't care. My heart becomes and flushed and beats rapidly. I am filled with such energy I can hardly sit still, waiting to defend us. Us, that sounds so right inside my head, us. When the last unwanted person left, Devlin got up from his chair and began to pace. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him show a comforting gaze that gave me an overwhelming feeling of peace. No matter what Devlin was about to tell us, my spirits couldn't be broken, or could they. 

 "Now you know that this makes it even harder to keep you safe and you know that you two aren't even supposed to be involved." His voice becoming rigid and booming. My spirits dampened, afraid of what he might say next. "Do you want to stay together?"

            Vaughn's and mine eyes met and we could both see the nod in our eyes, gently smiling, soothing through the dark world trying to separate us.

"Alright, then there are only two options that you can take, just to let you know that latter of the two won't make you happy, but you would be much safer." As he paused, catching his breath, my heart dropped. Just tell us, please, I could hear my heart pounding out the questions in my head. "The first option is very risky and dangerous, but I'll let you decide. That is to go into witness protection together. You must know the precautions and maybe consequences. If someone recognizes you, you both are in danger. Not to mention that since they will be looking for you both, it only doubles your chances of being discovered."

            I stare at Vaughn, motionless and troubled; I don't know what to think. I sense a tear breaking through my barriers, what if Vaughn wanted to make sure he was safe and leave... me. 

 "Now the less dangerous option is to  ... live underground in a type of apartment, solitary confinement." His words falter at the end, knowing that I would never accept this option, to be detached from the outside world. Devlin noticing the uneasy pain and discomfort coming form us, he left us to think, to decide our fates, our new lives, scared or hollow. Both so worthless and unfair. 

            I get up slowly from the now indented chair and reach my hands for his, taking them in my shaking fingers. I look into his eyes searching for the answer we needed to find so desperately. Silence is all we can manage to say, little words were needed and wanted.

"Um, what do you think?" His voice shaky and rough, voicing the same question blinking in my mind. 

"I'm not sure, but I don't like either, but I don't know if I could stand leaving underground. I know that the other may be unsafe, but at least we could be semi-free." I end the last word on hope, praying he feels the same way. He smiles, gently kissing my forehead.  I was rambling. At the time, I don't think about Francie and Will, I only think about him, my love.

"Alright, alright…. Well, what now?" I didn't speak, because I don't know what now, my heart caught in my throat. I don't know anything except that we are going to be together and that is all I care about, that we can live together. As we walk out of Devlin's office, to tell everyone of our decision, crying as we prepare to say goodbye. 

            As we head down to our handler to discuss our future lives, we leave behind us people we will never see again. A hollow feeling enters my heart; Vaughn slips his hand into mine. A solitary tear glides down my face, echoing on the tile floor. We leave behind Sydney Bristow and Michael Vaughn, people we knew well, but can never admit to it again.

             In exactly two hours, they will die; vanish from the face of the earth. Their deaths will be mysteries, mishaps in a car accident. No one will know the truth except for the men in the room, when a nameless couple decided to kill them. Our hearts beating anxiously, frightened of what is to become of us. Afraid that we made the wrong decision, we tightened our grips and gently stroke our thumbs together. We walk hand in hand down the numerous flights of stairs, dizzy, as nobody, becoming people with no lies, no secrets, except one.

             One that we will never be able to speak of, one that can kill us in a heartbeat and one that will keep us together through anything that comes in our way. One that will erase all the pain in our lives, all the darkness and confusion, until the lie comes out, until the secret is found. 

*Okay, this part of the story is over!!!! There is a sequel in the works!!(I know I sound like those movies that keep going and going!! But I think there needs to be more to the story, and I want to move on with it!!! Please let me know what you think and please keep checking up on my works, looking for part 2!!!!!!!!!!! Also check out my other fic Broken, which will be updated faster since I will only have one for awhile (the first chapter of part 2 is going to be very good, I promise! but long!!!!!!) Thanks and please REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!


End file.
